


Trinity

by Featherhead



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types
Genre: Language, M/M, Spider has a foul mouth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2018-11-22 00:22:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 14,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11368704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Featherhead/pseuds/Featherhead
Summary: A 28 Characters challenge featuring Cedar, Dynamo, and Spider.





	1. Naughty

**Author's Note:**

> ((I would like to make a note that much of the characterization for Cedar has been borrowed from the characterizations and headcanons developed by [Socket](http://sockettoem.tumblr.com/). She's developed him into such a wonderful and rich character, you should check her stuff out. :D))

Stifled giggles and snickers floated around Cedar, the rocky walls throwing the sounds back in disorienting echoes, making him unable to place his tormentors. Scowling, he twisted in his bonds, trying to get at least _some_ slack to reach one of his blades or something to cut his way free. But he only succeeded in making himself swing around, the movement making his gyro-stabilizers protest.  
  
The stifled laughter continued.  
  
Growing frustrated, he burst out, "Will you two _stop_ laughing and get me down?!"  
  
That only made his tormentors burst out laughing, and he growled low, waiting impatiently for the laughter to settle back down.  
  
"I dunno, Ced," Spider finally said, voice shaking on the verge of more laughter, and Cedar could picture the bounty hunter sharing a grin with Dynamo. "I'm not sure I wanna get too close, after what happened to you."  
  
"Yeah," the mercenary sniggered, his broad grin audible. "Who knows what it'll do if we try to take away its new toy~"  
  
Cedar snarled and thrashed in his bonds, only to yelp as they tightened slightly and lifted him higher.  
  
 _"Get me down!"_ he shouted, and he would vehemently deny later that his voice had gone shrill in panic.  
  
That prompted more laughter from his supposed friends.  
  
"Aw, it just wants to _cuddle_ , Ced!"  
  
"Yeah, play nice with the friendly critter~"  
  
Cedar swore at them, voice going shriller as the thing holding him lifted him still higher.  
  
Eventually Spider gained control of his laughter enough to call, "Okay, Princess. You've had your fun. Let 'im down now."  
  
The sniper could almost swear the thing _whined_ , though what little glimpse he'd gotten of it before he was grabbed hadn't revealed a mouth, and he was slowly lowered to the ground. He thrashed and scrambled free the moment his bonds were loose enough, shoving coils off and nearly stumbling in his rush to get out of reach.  
  
Dynamo and Spider were grinning at him with arms crossed as he reached them, unphased by the venomous glare he shot at them.  
  
Hearing a slithering behind him, Cedar glanced back nervously, but it was only the creature pulling back into its hidden lair in the  
rocky cliff face.  
  
Turning back to his companions, the sniper glared at them again, before focusing on Spider with a suspicious scowl. "'Princess'?"  
  
The bounty hunter shrugged with a lazy grin, eyes gleaming slyly. "I told you we were comin' to meet a friend."


	2. Happy

There was hardly a more disparate group as Cedar, Dynamo, and Spider. One would wonder after a first glance (and a second, and a third) how such differing personalities could mesh. Cedar preferred order and control, and had little tolerance for randomness. Dynamo was the complete opposite, and he appeared to live for causing mayhem, panic, disorder, and all-around chaos, whereupon he'd sit back and enjoy the results (often with a bag of popcorn he kept stashed in data storage). And Spider? It was generally agreed he was Mischief personified, or else the unholy offspring of every trickster god in mythology.  
  
And yet, somehow, mesh they did.  
  
As individuals, each had something that made them happiest on their own. Cedar enjoyed activities that required accuracy and skill- he was absolute _murder_ at games like paintball or Lazer Tag, and he held the record for the most headshots made. Dynamo enjoyed, perhaps ironically, reading- particularly dystopian classics like Nineteen-Eighty-Four and Fahrenheit 451. And Spider was an experience-junkie, taking on dares and other unusual stunts if they look interesting, gathering a collection of scars as a result that he's smugly proud of, and would gladly tell you the stories behind. (Just don't ask about the alarmingly large bite scar that ranges from his shoulder to hip. That's not a story he liked telling.)  
  
But what made them happiest overall was going on adventures together. Usually Dynamo took the lead, heading off in whatever random direction occurred to him, with Cedar and Spider following, snarking at each other and at Dynamo when he inevitably got them lost. That isn't to say that Spider or Cedar didn't occasionally take the lead, they just preferred to let Dynamo do it for some reason. (Though, Dynamo and Spider had put a firm ban on _any_ adventures involving mechadragons, much to Cedar's dismay.)  
  
It didn't matter if there was a reward or not at the end of it, they just enjoyed the adventure.  
  
"Sooo," Spider drawled, arms crossed, peering over the edge of the cliff that plunged into a misty ravine below. "What now?"  
  
"We go down, duh," Dynamo replied, pacing the edge as he tried to figure out the best way to do so.  
  
Cedar was more cautious, crouched a bit of a distance from the edge, braced against the potential of getting kicked over the edge. He'd learned, after the first few times. "I'm not certain I want to. The mist is too thick to see what is at the bottom."  
  
"Wuss," Dynamo retorted, stopping at a likely spot. He eyed the rocky face, then swung himself over the edge, cheerful whistling echoing as he picked out each hand- and foothold.  
  
Spider watched the taller 'roid for a moment, then shrugged and followed his example, with Cedar following after a moment of hesitation.  
  
Their progress was slow, but by no means quiet.  
  
"Hey! Stop knocking rocks on my head!"  
  
"That ain't me! And you got enough rocks in your head a few more on top ain't gonna make a difference!"  
  
"If you two cause an avalanche, I _won't_ come after you!"  
  
"Hah! You would, too, because you love us, Ced~"  
  
Cedar opened his mouth to reply, but stopped, eyes widening. "...did you hear that?" he hissed.  
  
"Hear wha- ...uh oh."  
  
"...shit."  
  
All three fell silent and still, listening to the echoing, rhythmic thud that was growing louder. Watching one end of the ravine, the trio clung to the cliff face, pebbles rattling around them as increasing vibrations shook the scree loose.  
  
They stared as an enormous shape appeared, walking slowly past, mist swirling around it like a living thing. Turning their heads to follow its progress, they watched it vanish around a bend in the ravine.  
  
The thudding slowly faded, and silence fell again for a moment, before Dynamo broke it.  
  
"...dude. That wasn't Nemo."  
  
"No, that was Godzilla's fuckin' mechanical cousin."  
  
"...where do you think it was going?"  
  
There was a long pause as the trio exchanged glances.  
  
"Let's go find out!" Dynamo grinned, scrambling down the cliff.  
  
"I'm down for that," Spider smirked, following the mercenary.  
  
"We're going to get chased again, I _know_ it," Cedar muttered, trailing after them.  
  
"Shut up, Ced. Last time was your fault."  
  
"It was _not_!"  
  
"Shut up, both of you! I think it went this wa-oof!" Dynamo stumbled back, rubbing his nose as he peered through the mist to try to see what he'd just run into. Seeing what looked like a tree, he was about to dismiss it when it moved. Eyes widening, the mercenary slowly tilted his head back, and gulped audibly when he saw the glow of the beast's eyes looking down at him. "Uh..."  
  
"...I vote we run," Spider said slowly, taking a few steps back.  
  
"Seconded," Cedar agreed, backing up as well.  
  
"ThirdeeeaaaaaaAAAAAAHHH!" Dynamo turned tail and bolted back down the ravine as the beast roared, nearly running into Spider and Cedar as they scrambled to run, the beast giving chase as they pelted down the mist-filled ravine.  
  
Yes, the trio loved going on adventures. Even if more often than not, it ended up with them running for their lives, rather than finding any treasure.


	3. Silly

Cedar heard the commotion before he saw its source, frowning slightly as he eyed the door he'd been about to enter. It sounded like Spider and Dynamo inside, but what on earth were they doing?  
  
_"Fuck, where'd it go?!"_  
  
_"I think- there it is! I'll get it!"_  
  
There was a muffled crash.  
  
_"You missed it, dumbass! Where- fuckfuckfuckgetitAWAY!"_  
  
_"No, don't shoot those things off in-!"_  
  
A muffled explosion drowned out Dynamo's protest.  
  
_"It went under the couch!"_  
  
_"No it didn't, it's right th- oh shit fuckin' hell kill it with fire it's after me!"_  
  
_"Stop running around, you moron, you're scaring it into running more!"_  
  
_"Just fuckin' kill it already!"_  
  
Against his better judgement, the sniper opened the door, and blinked as a rather large tarantula skittered out. Blinking, he watched it run across the hall, then gently nudged it with his foot toward a crevice in the wall where it would be safe for the moment. That done, he turned back to the room.  
  
The room was in shambles. Furniture overturned, a chair and end table scattered everywhere from the explosion, char marks from plasma shots all over the walls and floor. Dynamo was sprawled on the floor, apparently having tripped over another end table. And Spider was crouched on top of a cabinet, pressed against the wall.  
  
Both Reploids stared at Cedar with wide-eyed 'oh shit, busted' expressions.  
  
The sniper raised an eyebrow at them, putting his fists on his hips. " _Really_ , you two? All this over a little spider?"  
  
"It was the size of a fuckin' dinner plate!" Spider argued, voice shrill.  
  
Cedar sighed and shook his head, then pointed a finger at the bounty hunter. "You need to get a handle on your arachnophobia. And _you_." He turned to jab a finger at Dynamo. " _Stop tormenting him with live spiders!_ "


	4. Angsty

Dynamo pounded down the hall to Cedar's quarters after receiving a frantic comm from the sniper. There hadn't been a need for questions, Dynamo knew exactly what had the sniper so upset.  
  
Skidding around a corner, he flailed for balance before he was able to change the direction of his momentum, making the final charge for the sniper's door. Punching in the access code, he shoved at the door when it didn't open fast enough, slipping inside the instant he could fit sideways.  
  
Cedar looked up at the other mercenary's arrival, his relief obvious, before his attention returned to the bounty hunter hunched in on himself and unresponsive on the bed.  
  
"How long's he been like this?" Dynamo asked quietly, approaching the bed.  
  
"Since I returned to find him like this," the sniper murmured. "What do we do? I've never seen him like this..."  
  
The other mercenary sat on the bed, resting a hand on Spider's shoulder as he leaned over enough to see the bounty hunter's face. He frowned slightly as he surveyed Spider's dark, distant expression, then sighed softly. "Hard to say, Ced. I dunno what the old man did to set him off this time. If we do the wrong thing, we could set him off worse, and there's no telling where he'll take off to next."  
  
"How long will he be like this?"  
  
"Could be a few minutes, could be a few hours. Could be all day." Dynamo scratched his head, glancing around the room for ideas. He paused when his eyes fell on Cedar's meager music collection. "...I got a wild idea. Be right back."  
  
He jumped up and ran from the room, heading back to his own quarters. Skidding inside, flailing a little as he tried to keep his balance and not trip over the mess, he hopped over piles of stuff to snatch his electric guitar off the wall. Then he raced back to Cedar's quarters.  
  
Nothing appeared to have changed by the time he returned, not that he'd expected any changes, and he flopped down on the bed.  
  
Cedar gave him a puzzled look, glancing between the guitar and his face. "What are you doing?"  
  
Dynamo grinned wryly. "There's one thing that _might_ get through to him. If it does, he'll either respond somewhat positively...or he'll go Jekyll and Hyde and beat my ass."  
  
"...should I be concerned?"  
  
"Just stay out of his line of sight until we know for sure."  
  
Taking a slow breath, Dynamo released it just as slowly, then started picking out the notes of a familiar lullaby from his and Spider's younger days, keeping an eye on the bounty hunter. And after a moment, he started singing quietly.  
  
" _Carry on, my wayward son...there'll be peace when you are done...lay your weary head to rest...don't you cry no more..._ "  
  
For several long, tense minutes, it didn't seem to be working. Dynamo reached the end of the song, then started playing again, still watching the younger Reploid.  
  
Then Spider blinked.  
  
Cedar spotted the movement and started to lean forward, but Dynamo stopped him with a shake of his head. Still too soon to know how the bounty hunter would react.  
  
Another few minutes, another playthrough of the song, and just as Dynamo reached the refrain, Spider's voice rose to join the mercenary's, despite being rough and staticky, the distance fading from his eyes.  
  
Dynamo almost collapsed from relief, but he started playing the song again, Spider singing with him, Cedar soon joining them.  
  
The song ended, their voices fading with the last note, and Spider blinked rapidly for a moment before focusing on Dynamo.  
  
"D?"  
  
The mercenary let out a gusty sigh, shoving his guitar aside so he could hook an arm around the bounty hunter's shoulders, tugging him into a hug. "You gave us one hell of a scare, Spider-man."  
  
"Don't call me that."  
  
Cedar chuckled weakly at the familiar automatic response, not protesting when Dynamo's other arm hooked him in to join the hug. He even contributed, wrapping his arms around both of them. "What...will you be all right?"  
  
Spider sagged between them, head tilting to rest on the nearest shoulder, eyes closing. "...eventually. Eventually."


	5. On Vacation

Cedar sputtered indignantly as Dynamo hauled him along, the other mercenary having grabbed him with no explanation and dragging him to the base's teleport hubs. He hadn't seen the coordinates Dynamo had entered, and he didn't recognize their destination when they arrived. He wasn't liking the situation one bit.  
  
He liked it even less when he spotted a smirking Spider waiting for them by some sort of gate with a booth.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?!" the sniper demanded the moment he was turned loose.  
  
"The circus is in town," Spider grinned at him. "We figured you could use a break and come hang out with us there."  
  
"Yeah, c'mon, Ced!" Dynamo chimed in with an excited grin. "I know you've never been to a circus, so here's your chance!"  
  
Cedar frowned, looking from one to the other, then sighed quietly in defeat at their expectant grins. "Very well." He yelped as they each grabbed an arm, dragging him along.  
  
It was a rather big circus, with a midway and several tents housing the sideshows, the animals (Cedar was amazed when he learned they were actual, _real_ , organic animals), and of course the big top for performances. Spider and Dynamo dragged the sniper around to see everything like two overexcited children, and despite himself, Cedar found himself enjoying the experience.  
  
Cedar couldn't help laughing with Dynamo in the sideshow tent, when Spider panicked at an obviously fake monster arachnid. And he facepalmed with Spider when Dynamo nearly incited a riot among the performing apes in the animal tent, the sniper helping the bounty hunter drag Dynamo out while the other mercenary protested his innocence. And _of course_ , Cedar won a veritable hoard of prizes at all the midway games that required accuracy.  
  
(Spider and Dynamo had laughed at him for his winnings at first, until Cedar started giving the prizes to random children. Then they'd eagerly joined in, grinning at each delighted squeal or shy thanks.)  
  
The performances in the big top were impressive, Cedar had to admit. The feats of skill and agility, the trained animal acts, even the clowns and their ridiculous antics. (Cedar got a punch to the arm when he suggested to Dynamo the other mercenary had clearly missed his calling.)  
  
Unfortunately, mischief and chaos seemed to follow the trio wherever they went.  
  
By the end of the day, Cedar was banned from the entire midway, Dynamo _did_ succeed in starting a riot among the clowns, and Spider ended up with a price on his head for upstaging the magician's act.


	6. Horny

Cedar stared at the item Dynamo had just thrust at him with a grin.  
  
"...no. Absolutely not."  
  
"Aw, why not?" the other mercenary pouted.  
  
Cedar sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "First of all, that is ridiculously tacky. Secondly, I am far from angelic, so a halo is most inappropriate. Thirdly, _it is too small_."  
  
Dynamo blinked, then looked at the headpiece. "...you're right. This is kid-sized." He returned it to its hook, then started rifling through more of the headgear.  
  
Cedar sighed again, shaking his head, then wandered off. They'd been in the costume store for nearly three hours now, and all because Dynamo had insisted they dress up for Halloween, and was still trying to convince them to go trick or treating. Spider had vanished at some point after the first half hour, and the sniper suspected he'd actually left the store.  
  
His suspicions were dashed as he rounded a corner and stopped, raising an eyebrow. "... _really_ , Spider? Devil horns?"  
  
The bounty hunter snickered and reached up to remove the headpiece. "Too blatant, eh?"  
  
"Too subtle," Cedar countered, scanning the merchandise before spotting the perfect horned headpiece. "Here, this is more fitting." Moving to take one, he offered it to the bounty hunter with a smirk.  
  
Spider took one look and burst out laughing. "That's _perfect_!" Taking the headpiece, he put it on just as Dynamo rounded the corner.  
  
Dynamo promptly pointed dramatically, declaring, "Holy shit, it's _Loki_!"  
  
The bounty hunter and sniper exchanged grins as Dynamo ran off.  
  
"I think you can pull it off flawlessly."  
  
"Damn right, I- holy _shit_!"  
  
Cedar yelped and jumped out of the way as Dynamo came charging back, wielding Thor's hammer with a battle cry, chasing a cackling Spider down the aisle. Watching the pair vanish around the far end, the sniper shook his head with a chuckle, then set about looking for his own costume.


	7. Transforming

"How on earth did you and Dynamo convince me to go to a Halloween party?"  
  
Spider smirked at Cedar's muttered griping beside him as the trio walked down the street to their destination. "We asked nicely," he muttered back. "Quit fiddlin' with your hair, or we'll have to apply the color again."  
  
The sniper huffed at him, reluctantly letting his hands drop from his hair.  
  
Spider chuckled quietly and glanced at Dynamo on his other side. "How you holdin' up? I still think you're gonna make the kids shit a brick."  
  
The mercenary shook his head in a negatory manner, lifting a hand to gesture that he had a plan.  
  
Spider snorted at him, then grinned at Cedar's startled hiss.  
  
"That's the children's hospital!"  
  
"How observant of you," the bounty hunter muttered dryly, leading the way inside.  
  
Catching the attention of a nurse, Spider spoke quietly with her, and she told him how to get where they wanted to go. He gestured for the other two to follow, heading toward the elevators.  
  
"Where are we going?" Cedar murmured, looking at Spider as they took the elevator up.  
  
"One of the communal rooms where the main party is, first," Spider murmured back. "Then we split up and visit the individual wards for the kids who can't go to the party. Remember to stay in character."  
  
Exiting the elevator, Spider led the way to the communal room, where they could hear music and excited chatter inside. The bounty hunter knew they weren't going to be the only guests, but he doubted X and Zero would mind too much being upstaged.  
  
Silence fell over the room as the trio entered, as every eye turned toward them.  
  
"Well, now," Spider said, flawlessly mimicking his character's accent and speaking style. "Isn't this an interesting gathering."  
  
Human children were strange critters, and as he watched their wide-eyed stares transform into delighted smiles at the sight of Loki, Sephiroth, and Slenderman, he hoped he never got tired of being surprised by them.


	8. Excited

Dynamo had a bit of a private quirk- he enjoyed seeing other 'roids excited. Not that annoying kind of excitement that involved a lot of jumping and squealing. No, he liked the quiet kind, where a 'roid's eyes lit up, a slow grin spread across their face, and their words nearly stumbled into each other in their rush to leave the 'roid's mouth.  
  
He'd made it a personal goal to find that one thing for each 'roid he knew that would trigger such a reaction. And he was largely successful.  
  
Zero's thing had been almost too easy to figure out. A challenging fight (just for fun, mind you, because it was completely different when duty was involved) where the blonde Hunter knew he had a good chance of losing, and he became a grinning maniac for hours afterward. He didn't even necessarily have to win for it to happen, either. Losing was just as exciting because it spurred him on to try all that much harder the next time. It worked out, because the same thing excited Dynamo.  
  
Axl's thing had been somewhat similar. A challenging fight where he had a good chance of losing, but he won it anyway. Dynamo had almost wanted to smack the younger Reploid when he'd discovered that one caveat- that Axl had to win to be excited, otherwise he'd pout like a spoiled brat.  
  
X's thing had seemed far more complicated, at first. It took Dynamo a while to figure it out, and he wanted to smack himself when he finally did, because it turned out to be so _simple_. Just point the blue putz at a library of actual books he hadn't read yet, and he lit up like the Fourth of July.  
  
Signas' thing was more subtle, and Dynamo had nearly cackled himself into a coma when he figured it out. For all the Hunter High Commander put on a front of moral upstanding and incorruptible leadership, boy, did he light up when he dabbled in the shadows. Particularly when it was for the benefit of others. Dynamo made it a point to make that happen as often as possible, if only to see that sly little grin of his.  
  
Cedar's thing had been more fun to tease out, quite literally. One would think that being a sniper, he'd light up at making challenging shots or breaking sniper records. But no, what made Cedar light up was playing verbal tennis with someone, trading snark and playful barbs in a game of wits. Especially if it was with Dynamo. Doubly so if Cedar won.  
  
Gate's thing was, quite simply, being allowed to create whatever harmless kooky invention he came up with. Dynamo was more than happy to give the nerd free range in his apartment to do so, as long as his inventions didn't try to eat the furniture, set the carpet on fire, or disturb the neighbors. Dynamo actually liked his neighbors this time.  
  
And Vava's thing? Well, it was kind of sad in a painful way. Anything that reminded him of the good memories he had from his old life lit him up like a kid in a candy store. True, Dynamo couldn't actually _see_ the Irregular's excitement because of that damn bucket of a helmet. But Dynamo could hear the excitement in his voice, and that was good enough.  
  
Which left only Spider. Dynamo had consistently failed to figure out the bounty hunter's thing. Nothing he'd tried over the nearly four decades Spider had been active had worked, and Dynamo refused to believe Spider didn't have a thing.  
  
Not high-stakes poker games, not adrenaline-pumping dares or stunts, not books or movies Dynamo knew he liked, or even seeing his favorite bands play live. Not even going on adventures with Dynamo and Cedar seemed to work, though the mercenary knew Spider enjoyed them.  
  
Each was met with only a lazy, contented smile from the bounty hunter.  
  
It was a frustrating problem, and Dynamo was starting to take it personally.  
  
In fact, Dynamo was so focused on the problem, he almost missed Spider's thing.  
  
Dynamo had stopped by his favorite music store to pick up some new strings for his electric guitar after two of them broke. Spider tagged along purely out of boredom and having nothing else to do, and he'd wandered off while the mercenary went straight for the rack of strings.  
  
While Dynamo rifled through the packs of coiled strings for the proper ones, he absently noted that one of the employees was demonstrating an electric violin for some customers, and he promptly dismissed it as unimportant, especially when he heard a scale being played.  
  
For some reason, he perked up when he heard a few hesitant notes played afterward, and he glanced over to see Spider was holding the instrument now, the employee quietly instructing him.  
  
Dynamo blinked, slowly standing from his crouch, and watched as Spider nodded understanding and brought the bow to the strings again.  
  
Spider played a few slow notes, more confidently this time, clearly getting a feel for the sound.  
  
And then it happened.  
  
The bounty hunter started playing a little faster, some old fiddle reel Dynamo vaguely remembered he liked, and Spider's expression changed. He blinked, expression blanking as he played. Then his eyes lit up, a grin slowly spreading across his face, there for only an instant, before his eyes slid closed, grin fading to an almost serene smile as the music blended from the old reel into something more modern, more familiar.  
  
It wasn't perfect. Far from it. There were wrong fingerings and sour notes scattered throughout it, but that didn't seem to matter to Spider in the slightest as he played.  
  
Dynamo, for his part, simply stared, jaw hanging down almost to his knees for some time after the bounty hunter finished with a shy grin for the applause from the other customers, reluctantly handing the instrument back to the employee before wandering off to hide his embarrassment.  
  
Completely forgetting why he'd come to the store in the first place, Dynamo almost scrambled to the electric violin display, searching for the perfect instrument and bow set to purchase. Then he raced after Spider to give them to the bounty hunter, his own eyes bright with excitement, grinning fit to split his face.  
  
He had to see that again.


	9. Book Reading

It was Cedar who found the tiny book store tucked in an obscure corner of the city, and for once, _he_ was doing the dragging, hauling Dynamo and Spider along to go investigate.  
  
They split up as soon as they entered, and though the store was small, they managed to lose track of each other as they gravitated toward their favorite genre. It wasn't too difficult to figure out where Dynamo ended up, at least; the mercenary let out an excitable hoot when he found a book he'd been looking for.  
  
Spider was a different matter, and Cedar only found him when he stumbled across the bounty hunter tucked away in a corner, engrossed in a small paperback that he was flipping back and forth through.  
  
Cedar raised an eyebrow when he saw the title. "Encyclopedia Brown?"  
  
Spider jumped at Cedar's voice and glared over the top of the book at him in defiant challenge, a faint blush crossing his face. "...shut up."  
  
The sniper held up his hands, fighting a grin more at the bounty hunter's reaction than at his choice of reading material. "It's not any worse than Dynamo's secret love for all things My Little Pony?"  
  
The bounty hunter snorted, eyeing him suspiciously. "Like you don't got any embarrassin' things you enjoy."  
  
Cedar smiled wryly, seeing the hidden question for what it was. "Anything overly fluffy," he sighed, blushing faintly at Spider's snerk.


	10. Dancing

It was strange the things that came to mind in the midst of battle. Surrounded by enemies, the sound of weaponsfire almost drowning out the screams of the dead and dying.  
  
And all Cedar could think of was dancing.  
  
Standing in the middle of the claustrophobic press of enemies, Cedar's back pressed against Spider's, the bounty hunter bracing him against the recoil as he fired his rifle, the sniper in turn bracing Spider as he fired his explosive cards. Both turned a half-sidestep as one, each almost instinctively knowing when and where the other was going to move.  
  
And both subconsciously knew where Dynamo was the entire time, the mercenary a whirlwind of spinning blades, almost flying around the perimeter as he kept the enemies from closing the gap around the bounty hunter and sniper. He ducked and twisted and flipped as he neatly avoided their shots, beam saber switching from hand to hand in a fluid motion, freeing up the other hand to either fire a shot from his buster or send electricity lancing fatally through mechanical systems not prepared for it.  
  
Cedar and Spider took another half-sidestep turn in the deadly dance, firing at the enemies that just kept coming. For every one that fell, there seemed to be half a dozen or more to take its place.  
  
The sniper cursed when he heard the first click from his rifle, one arm smoothly transforming into his barely-effective buster to continue firing, while he shoved the now-useless rifle to his back as he drew one of his blade guns. Firing with that now, he changed his buster back so he could draw his other blade gun, switching to a rapid-fire style with both firearms.  
  
Another half-sidestep turn, another whirling pass by Dynamo, and Cedar noticed the difference in the press of Spider's back against his, less braced for firing than seeking support as systems ran low on energy, the press of enemies such that neither of them could spare a moment to reach for an E-tank.  
  
Even Dynamo, with his seemingly endless wells of energy, was visibly beginning to tire, both Spider and Cedar adjusting their rate of fire to compensate for the mercenary's slower reactions.  
  
Was it just the sniper's imagination, or were the enemies' ranks starting to thin?  
  
Yet another half-sidestep turn, Spider's panting in Cedar's ears under the roar of battle, and Cedar narrowed his eyes. The numbers of enemies _were_ getting smaller, fewer and fewer coming to take the place of the fallen.  
  
If they could just hold out a few moments more...!  
  
Abruptly Dynamo stumbled to his knees, and both the bounty hunter and sniper reacted, Spider flinging out an arm to fire a stream of explosive cards, covering the mercenary as he rolled away from the enemy to get back to his feet and regain his stride, Cedar's arm crossing over Spider's to cover the opening in the bounty hunter's defenses.  
  
The enemies' ranks thinned still further, and Spider cursed as his weapons system finally ran completely out of energy. Cedar was ready when the bounty hunter abruptly left him, dagger in hand as he charged to join Dynamo in his circling.  
  
Cedar smoothly adjusted to the change, arms stretching out as he fired to either side, head swiveling back and forth to place the next target of each shot, slowly turning in a circle as he laid cover fire for the pair in their deadly dance.  
  
The sudden absence of enemies was a shock, and all three froze, glancing around warily for another attack.  
  
When none was forthcoming, they slowly relaxed. Dynamo collapsed right where he was, uncaring of the puddle of inner fluids that splashed everywhere on his landing, and leaned back on his hands, panting heavily. Spider sagged in exhaustion- almost staggered, really- and fumbled a couple E-tanks from data storage to replenish his flagging reserves.  
  
Cedar slowly lowered his arms, panting as he surveyed the carnage, only now realizing how exhausted he was himself.  
  
A buzzing horn echoed from somewhere above them, and their surroundings pixelated and faded around them to reveal the stark walls of a training room.  
  
Dynamo collapsed fully onto his back with an exhausted groan. "Remind me never to do any favors for you again."  
  
"That's our line," the other two chorused with tired grins, walking over to drop beside the mercenary.  
  
Spider chuckled, sagging against Cedar's side since the sniper was still sitting up. "Thanks for helpin' me test out the new trainin' room."  
  
Cedar smiled, subtly leaning into the bounty hunter's weight. "It was our pleasure." He smirked briefly at Dynamo's explosive snort. "Though, I do have to wonder what difficulty setting you had it on."  
  
He glanced at Spider with a raised eyebrow when Spider chuckled again, the bounty hunter's grin a touch sheepish as he scratched a cheek with a finger. Dynamo noted the reaction as well, and pushed himself upright with a suspicious frown.  
  
"Er... _Kobayashi Maru_?"  
  
" _ **WHAT?!**_ "  
  
Spider's grin turned even more sheepish under their combined stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This seemed infinitely more epic in my head because I had "Me Against the World" by Simple Plan on repeat while writing this. >.>
> 
> Also, I dunno how the hell I'm gonna top this for Kickass. XD;;


	11. Jealous

Cedar frowned as he watched Dynamo and Gate across the room, the pair gesturing expansively as they chattered excitedly together, discussing something that- for all Cedar was rather intelligent himself- the sniper hadn't a hope of comprehending. He could catch only bits of pieces of the conversation, and what he heard left him boggling and none the wiser.  
  
His mouth thinned into a flat line, and his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Jealous?" a quiet voice chuckled beside him.  
  
Cedar jumped slightly, head snapping toward the voice, and he almost scowled when he saw Spider leaning against the wall, arms crossed and one foot propped on the wall, a shadow slinker's smirk on his face. When had he gotten here?  
  
"What makes you think I am?" he replied, keeping his voice even and low enough he wouldn't attract the pair's attention.  
  
The bounty hunter chuckled again. "You're givin' Gate your 'sniper stare'," he murmured. "The same one you give Axl."  
  
Now Cedar did scowl, not wishing to be reminded of the Hunter, and he pointedly turned away. And he made sure to keep his expression neutral as he continued to watch Dynamo and Gate.  
  
It was some moments before Spider spoke again, and it was almost too quiet to catch.  
  
"I am, too."


	12. Turned On

While Reploids are the creations of humans, there are quite a few fundamental differences. Everything from the way they experience the world, to the way they perceive death, there is a rather sharp divide between humans and Reploids.  
  
However, some things are universal.  
  
Dynamo glanced through a large window as he and Spider passed, then did a double-take, stopping mid-step with a murmured "Whoa."  
  
Immediately he was snatching at the bounty hunter's sleeve, not taking his eyes off what had caught his attention. "Hey, hey. Hold up."  
  
Spider grunted with a frown, jerking his arm away and smoothing out his sleeve. "What is it _this_ ti-...whoa."  
  
"That's what _I_ said."  
  
Practically plastered against the glass without actually touching it, both stared at what had arrested their attention.  
  
"Dude. I need it."  
  
"Fuck you. You couldn't afford it."  
  
"Neither could you, _Dandy_." Dynamo yelped at a sharp punch to his arm. "Fuck _ **ow**_!" He pouted at the bounty hunter, rubbing where he'd been hit.  
  
"What are you two staring at?" Cedar asked, coming up behind them.  
  
Both Reploids reached back without turning to grab the sniper, dragging him to the window between them.  
  
"Wha- _hey_! What is the mea- ...oh. Oh my."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Exactly. Fuckin' beautiful."  
  
All three stood there for some time, watching the sleek, flashy sportscar slowly revolve on the showroom's display.


	13. Caring

It had been nearly three days since the earthquake took down the building Cedar had been using as a firing position, trapping him in the rubble. He'd had mixed luck with the collapse- a large slab of wall or ceiling had fallen in such a way as to create a secure, if rather cramped, cavity. But his comm had been damaged, so he couldn't even get a message out to call for help. Even if he could have gotten a message through, he wasn't expecting rescue from any of the others of the mercenary group he worked with.  
  
But he knew rescue was still coming.  
  
He'd detected the first vibrations of digging nearly a day ago, and he wouldn't deny how relieved he'd been when he'd noticed them.  
  
The digging was closer now; he could actually hear it now, and the sense of weight above him was significantly reduced. He estimated it was merely a matter of a few more hours before his rescuers reached him.  
  
Confident now, he allowed himself to sink into a light recharge to conserve energy.  
  
He awoke some time later to the sound of voices. Muffled and indistinguishable at first through the rubble, Cedar listened as the digging continued, until he could finally make out words.  
  
 _"Stop dropping rocks on my foot, dammit!"_  
  
 _"Then get your fuckin' foot out of the way, dumbass!"_  
  
 _"I'll 'dumbass' you in a minute! Hey, I think we're getting close!"_  
  
Cedar flinched at a shower of dust and pebbles hitting his face, but he couldn't complain- sunlight streamed through a newly-opened crack in the rubble.  
  
The light was partially blocked a moment later. "Yo, Ced! You in there, Creepy Eyes?"  
  
The sniper couldn't help a quiet chuckle, too relieved to protest another of Dynamo's ridiculous nicknames for him. "No, I'm in New Zealand!" he called back. "What kept you?"  
  
Though muffled, Spider's snort was still audible. _"Maybe we oughta leave you in New Zealand! D, either get the fuck outta the way, or help me push this fuckin' slab."_  
  
Dynamo vanished from the crack, and soon Cedar could hear their grunts and curses as they struggled with the slab. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the slab shifted until, with a cracking groan, it slid aside, and sunlight flooded the crevice Cedar had been trapped in.  
  
Lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the sudden light, the sniper shifted to sit up. Then hands were hooking under his arms, tugging him to his feet and into a tight embrace from both sides.


	14. On His Knees

"He...what?"  
  
Cedar stared at the unusually somber Dynamo slumped on the floor beside the sniper's bed.  
  
The other mercenary sighed and leaned back against the side of the bed, rubbing his face with both hands. "He's gone," he repeated quietly. "Sacrificed himself during the Rebellion bullshit, the reports said."  
  
"But..." The sniper took a step back, almost missing the low stool he collapsed onto. "But he was never that selfless. Not even for _us_! Why would he do something like that for a group of _Hunters_ and Reploids he barely knows?!"  
  
Dynamo let his hands drop onto his lap, gaze on the floor. "Because of Aile. Because one of the Hunters was the brother our creator abandoned."  
  
Cedar's own gaze lowered. He couldn't argue with that. He knew of the deep attachment Spider had had for the elder bounty hunter. And he knew very well Spider's thoughts on the brother the bounty hunter had never known; the three friends never mentioned the empty bedroom in Spider's condo, waiting for a brother who'd been lost before the bounty hunter's creation.  
  
"Aile is dead as well, then?"  
  
"Yeah. Sacrificed himself, too."  
  
The sniper fell silent then, thoughts roiling as he tried to accept the news. Dynamo was silent as well, and a glance at his expression proved he was feeling as much of at a loss as Cedar.  
  
"...what do we do now?" the sniper finally asked quietly, voicing the question both dreaded.  
  
Without Spider, without the dynamic, the _balance_ he'd brought to both Cedar and Dynamo...what were they going to do?  
  
The other mercenary sighed, shoulders slumping further. "I don't know," he murmured.  
  
"...he can't be rebuilt, can he?"  
  
"I don't know," Dynamo repeated. "The reports said he blew himself and the enemy up. There probably wasn't enough left to rebuild."  
  
Cedar closed his eyes at the painful tightness that had firmly settled in his chest, then opened them again to look at the other mercenary, seeing the same painful thoughts on his face. Spider had been there for both of them, directly and subtly, whenever they'd needed him. But when he'd needed _them_...they hadn't been there.  
  
Shifting off the stool, the sniper settled on his knees between Dynamo's legs, wrapping his arms around the other mercenary's shoulders, feeling Dynamo's arms come up to cling tightly to him. Neither spoke further, each holding the other as they mourned silently.


	15. Special: Stop That

Spider sighed softly, rolling his eyes.  
  
They were _hovering_ again.  
  
He was tempted to throw the book he'd been reading ( _trying_ to read; he'd read the same damn line three times already) at them, but the last time he'd done that, Roll had yelled at him and threatened him with a wooden spoon. He wasn't willing to risk an ass-kicking so soon after being rebuilt, when his synchro was still barely in the eighties.  
  
Roll would have him on his ass faster than she'd ever managed when he was still a newbuild and hadn't learned any better.  
  
Scowling, he held the book closer, trying to ignore the Reploid vultures.  
  
...they were hovering closer now.  
  
He bit back a growl and tried to focus on his book again.  
  
And paused, twitching, as he noticed one of them in his peripheral vision, peering over the back of the couch at him.  
  
"...D, if you don't get your fuckin' face out of my fuckin' personal bubble, I'm gonna shove this book down your throat."  
  
Predictably, Dynamo ignored him, instead resting his arms on the back of the couch, chin propped on his arms. "Bitchy much, are we?"  
  
"Can you blame me? I don't like hoverin'."  
  
"Can you blame _us_?" the mercenary countered. "We lost you."  
  
Spider winced at the reminder, glancing at Cedar, who was watching silently with arms crossed.  
  
"...at least _do_ somethin', instead of just hoverin'?"  
  
He watched the two mercenaries exchange glances, his gaze switching back and forth between them.  
  
Dynamo abruptly stood up, leaning over the back of the couch to pluck Spider's book from his hands, marking his place before setting it aside. In the same instant, Cedar strode forward, planting himself on the bounty hunter's lap as his arms wrapped around Spider's shoulders, forehead dropping onto one of the bounty hunter's shoulders. Then Dynamo vaulted the back of the couch to drop in the space beside Spider, wrapping his arms around both the bounty hunter and Cedar, head settling on the bounty hunter's other shoulder.  
  
Spider didn't hesitate, bringing his arms up to wrap around both of them, his own forehead dropping onto Cedar's shoulder, and he sighed softly.


	16. Obedient

"He can't be serious."  
  
Spider's mouth twisted, while Dynamo grunted with crossed arms and a sulky glare beside him, both watching the chaos below their perch.  
  
"He is serious," the bounty hunter answered Cedar's incredulous comment. "Unfortunately."  
  
"But... _why_? What is the point?" That seemed to be the sticking point for the sniper, what sort of logic could be behind this.  
  
"Your silly Earth logic doesn't belong here," Dynamo groused. "This is _Wily_."  
  
"But..." Cedar trailed off, looking to be on the verge of crashing as he watched the small blue figure below wage battle against the ridiculously-themed robots. "What does he do, get ideas from Pinky and the Brain?"  
  
"Yes," was the immediate and unanimous reply, making the sniper facepalm.  
  
Abruptly Dynamo shifted and started pacing restlessly along the roof's edge. "Why can't we do anything? I'm getting bored!"  
  
"The old man said to observe, not interact," Spider replied flatly. His eyes narrowed as a new 'bot showed up on the scene to challenge the blue one, the new arrival's explosive entrance impressive enough to halt Dynamo's pacing for a moment.  
  
Cedar tore his gaze from the scene to raise an eyebrow at the bounty hunter. "Since when do you obey _any_ orders from Blues?"  
  
Spider observed the scene below, aware of Dynamo's expectant gaze on him. Then the bounty hunter's own gaze flicked over at the sound of an approaching rumble, watching a veritable army of robots heading toward the battle, a cliché flying saucer hovering over the advancing horde.  
  
"It _is_ just a sim," Dynamo prompted hopefully, not taking his eyes off the bounty hunter.  
  
"The old man knows how to make life miserable for anyone who doesn't play by his rules," Spider frowned at length, and the pair wilted beside him, disappointment on their faces.


	17. Dominant

"The old man knows how to make life miserable for anyone who doesn't play by his rules," Spider frowned at length, and the pair wilted beside him, disappointment on their faces.  
  
His next words had them brightening again.  
  
"But it _is_ just a sim, and he didn't say how _long_ we had to observe."  
  
Dynamo immediately launched off the roof with a wild whoop. "Dibs on the goony bots!"  
  
Cedar was after the other mercenary in an instant, voice indignant as it chased after Dynamo. "You _always_ get dibs!"  
  
Spider grinned as he watched them race each other toward the approaching horde, hitting the first ranks like a wrecking ball, scattering the robots in disordered panic as the pair rained plasma death down on them.  
  
Cedar was going to be on cloud nine for a while after this; it was so rare that he had the advantage with his basic buster. In contrast, Dynamo was going to be calmer the next several days, having gotten to vent the growing bitterness about past events before it reached the boiling point and made the mercenary snap.  
  
Spider, for his part, didn't follow them, content to let them have their fun as his eyes scanned the other rooftops surrounding his vantage point.  
  
He had a different target, and he slowly smirked as he spotted a flash of red across the street.  
  
 _Bingo_.  
  
The bounty hunter didn't bother with stealth as he leapt from the roof, knowing he'd lost the element of surprise from the moment he'd arrived, and charged across the street, not caring that he ran right through the middle of Rockman and Forte's battle, startling both into pausing momentarily to stare after him.  
  
 _"What the fuck was that?!"_  
  
 _"I don't kn- ack! Hey, that was a cheap shot!"_  
  
 _"Fuck you!"_  
  
Spider grinned to himself at the exchange, then pushed it from his mind and focused on his target, who was already in the process of vanishing across the rooftops by the time he'd reached the other's vantage point. He immediately gave chase, eyes locked on the trailing ends of a yellow scarf, longer stride a match for the shorter bot's greater speed.  
  
In the distance, he could hear Wily calling a furious retreat, sounding almost apoplectic as Dynamo and Cedar hooted laughter and called taunts after him.  
  
Up ahead, he saw the abrupt end of the roof line, saw his target skid to a halt and whip around to face him, shield held ready and a smirk on his face.  
  
Spider was smirking himself as he slowed to a stalk, flipping a couple explosive cards into hand, glancing briefly at them out of habit to see which ones he'd drawn- the Ace of Hearts, and the King of Hearts.  
  
...how fitting.  
  
His target watched his approach, still smirking. "I knew it was only a matter of time."  
  
The bounty hunter's smirk stretched into a shadow slinker's smile, his suspicions confirmed that this was no simulacrum. "What can I say? I'm only livin' up to my name."  
  
"Ah, yes. 'Chaos, panic, disorder. My work here is done,' hm?"  
  
"Exactly. Besides, I owe you for Gigantis. So let's dance, old man."  
  
Blues chuckled quietly, subtly shifting his shield. "Bring it on, if you can."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't _really_ think Spider was gonna obey orders, did you?  >:3


	18. Naive

You wanna do _what_?"  
  
Cedar frowned at Spider's incredulous stare. Dynamo only wasn't staring as well because he was still coughing from almost choking on a donut.  
  
"I _said_ , I would like to try my hand at one of your solo programs in the training simulator."  
  
"Uh..." Spider looked at Dynamo, who just blinked a few times before shrugging helplessly.  
  
Cedar's eyes narrowed, mouth pulling into a frown.  
  
Scratching the back of his head, the bounty hunter slowly turned back to him. "Are you sure, Ced? I mean...the old man programmed them _really_ well..."  
  
" _Yes_ , I'm sure. And I'm quite aware of the odds of my having any success. I still wish to try."  
  
"Well..." Spider hesitated a moment longer, then shrugged helpless surrender. "All right. I assume you want realistic levels?"  
  
Cedar nodded, scowling when Spider and Dynamo exchanged another glance.  
  
There weren't any further arguments, however, as Spider set up the program. Just before Cedar entered the training room, the bounty hunter stopped him.  
  
"You know you won't last five minutes."  
  
" _Five?!_ " Dynamo yelped incredulously.  
  
Spider didn't take his eyes off Cedar as he answered the mercenary. "I'm bein' generous."  
  
The sniper snorted, handing his rifle to the bounty hunter. "I know I will be lucky to last _three_ ," he replied, heading into the simulator.  
  
He ended up lasting a total of four minutes. And that only because the sim was _playing_ with him.  
  
Spider and Dynamo were by the door when Cedar finally emerged, waiting for his reaction.  
  
The sniper took a moment to recoup, cycling a calming breath through his systems as he put his hair back in order. "Your creator...is a bloody _bastard_."  
  
Both brothers grinned broadly.  
  
"No shit."  
  
"Welcome to _our_ world."


	19. Drinking

Cedar sat at the cafe counter, watching in silent horror as Dynamo heaped spoonful upon spoonful of sugar into his drink, his own drink sitting forgotten. "...that already has enough caffeine in it to give a human a heart attack."  
  
"Lucky I'm not a human, then," the other mercenary snorted and took a cautious sip, smacking his lips as he considered it. Then he added more sugar before tasting it again. Smiling in satisfaction, he settled in to drink, ignoring the sniper's stare. "When did Spider say he was coming?"  
  
"He said he was on his way now," Cedar replied, shaking his head with a sigh at Dynamo's antics. "I'm surprised he was able to find any time to get away from Gigantis to take a break."  
  
Dynamo snerked. "You shouldn't be. Crystal Horn bullies him into taking regular breaks."  
  
The sniper frowned at him. "Why do we hardly ever see him, then?"  
  
"Because he spends most of his breaks dead to the world in bed."  
  
Cedar opened his mouth to reply, but the bell over the door rang, alerting that someone had just entered, and he glanced over to see Spider heading their way with a grin that was lacking in the strength of his usual grins. The sniper's frown deepened, concern and a bit of guilt flaring as he realized how _tired_ the bounty hunter looked.  
  
"Hey," Spider greeted them, dropping into the seat on Cedar's other side.  
  
Dynamo leaned forward to look around Cedar with a grin. "You look like hell, Spider-man."  
  
"I _feel_ like hell," the bounty hunter chuckled, signalling the server. He ordered a black coffee and a small E-tank, watching the server bring them over to set in front of him. It was a testament to how tired he was that he didn't protest the nickname like he usually did, not even automatically.  
  
Cedar watched Spider mix the contents of the E-tank into his coffee and take a long drink. "...that can't taste good at all."  
  
"That's a matter of opinion," the bounty hunter grunted, while Dynamo snickered. He took another drink, before setting his cup down with a sigh.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Just tired, Ced. Rebuildin' New Hope and the Central Tower and makin' it a proper city ain't an easy task. Not helpin' that the old man's anglin' for me to take R's place."  
  
"Why am I not surprised he'd pull that kinda shit?" Dynamo muttered.  
  
Cedar resisted the urge to elbow the other mercenary. "Is there any way we can help?"  
  
The bounty hunter looked at Cedar, then past him at Dynamo, and smiled tiredly. "Actually, I was thinkin' of askin' if y'all wanted to help. Won't pay much at first, unfortunately; not until we get the marketplace and exports back up and runnin'."  
  
"We can renegotiate when that happens," Dynamo declared with a grin, eyes practically glowing. "Building a Reploid city is gonna be a fun challenge~"  
  
Cedar couldn't help smiling at the other mercenary's obvious excitement. "I agree. And it's a step in the direction of what we all dream of, I believe."  
  
"No kiddin'," Spider murmured, chuckling as Dynamo brandished his glass for a toast.  
  
"To New Hope?"  
  
"To New Hope," the other two agreed, clinking their respective drinkware together.


	20. Greedy

Spider exited his bedroom in time to see Dynamo screwing the top back onto a flask, the mercenary sprawled on the couch. The bounty hunter's eyes narrowed. "What you got?"  
  
The mercenary grinned slyly, casting a glance at him without turning his head. "Something~"  
  
Spider frowned, suspicions roused. Dynamo wouldn't be evasive if he didn't have something he knew the younger 'roid might want. And it was too late to try being sneaky to get it, not now that Dynamo knew he had Spider's interest.  
  
The bounty hunter considered a moment, then made his way to the couch, Dynamo's head turning to follow his approach, the mercenary still grinning.  
  
Spider stared at the taller 'roid a beat, then lunged.  
  
Dynamo barked a laugh and rolled aside, scrambling over the back of the couch, barely evading the bounty hunter's hands grabbing for his ankles.  
  
The bounty hunter was after him in an instant, chasing the taller 'roid around the perimeter of the great room.  
  
They made a single circuit of the room, before the chase was interrupted by Cedar stepping in from the entryway. Unable to stop, Dynamo yelped as he crashed into the startled sniper, followed immediately by Spider slamming into Dynamo, all three 'roids going down in a cursing tangle of limbs.  
  
The contested flask skidded across the floor, and Dynamo and Spider didn't give up their competition for it, both struggling to get free of the tangle while trying to prevent the other doing the same.  
  
Ignoring Cedar's indignant cursing, the brothers scrambled for the flask, hands slapping for it as each tried to grab it first.  
  
They weren't expecting the hands that slammed down on their heads, making their chins crack painfully against the floor, and Cedar took the opportunity to snatch up the flask and bolt. Protesting this betrayal, Dynamo and Spider scrambled to their feet to give chase.  
  
It didn't take any discussion for the mercenary and bounty hunter to agree to work together, coordinating their movements without thought to try cornering the sniper behind the couch.  
  
When Cedar realized, he vaulted the couch and made a break for the hall, but he didn't get more than three steps before his pursuers were on him, all three 'roids going down again as they fought over the flask.  
  
Spider finally managed to gain the flask, scrambling free and retreating with a grin while the other two cursed at him. Unscrewing the top, he sniffed cautiously at the opening, then glanced at Dynamo with a smirk, prompting the mercenary to huff at him, and took a drink.  
  
Cedar huffed himself, elbowing Dynamo sharply off so he could get up. "What in the world were we even fighting over?"  
  
The bounty hunter chuckled, screwing the top back on and tossing the flask to the sniper. "Doesn't matter. He had it, and I wanted it."


	21. Daring

_"Cedar, how many times we told you, **no more messin' with mechadragons**?"_  
  
 _"You'll want to go after this one, Spider."_  
  
Spider eyed the cave's entrance grimly, fingering the explosive cards in his hand. He'd checked their faces when his weapons system produced them- Nine of Hearts, Eight of Clubs, Ten of Hearts, Six of Spades, and Six of Clubs- and had felt buoyed by their positive prediction of victory.  
  
He glanced to his left, meeting Dynamo's gaze, the mercenary grinning gamely at him, both double beam sabers in hand, activated and ready.  
  
He looked to his right, and Cedar nodded, expression grimly blank as he hefted his rifle, having opted for tank-killing stopping power, rather than the speed of his blade guns.  
  
Spider turned back to the cave's entrance, took a slow breath, released it, then started forward, leading the way into darkness.  
  
The bounty hunter stepped carefully, optical sensor suite cycled to lowlight, picking his way through the darkness, the only light coming from the three Reploids' biolights. Though Cedar and Dynamo were silent as well, he could sense them at the edges of his electromagnetic field.  
  
 _"Why's that?"_  
  
 _"It's the one that nearly killed you and Aile."_  
  
He paused at an intersection, holding up a hand in a signal for the others to stop, and he peered at the three tunnels before them. He didn't immediately go for the largest tunnel, like he was tempted to. He didn't trust his memory of the attack so long ago; the mechadragon of his nightmares always seemed larger than what he knew the mechaniloids to be as a whole.  
  
He frowned as the bite scar across his torso almost seemed to itch, knowing the sensation was all in his mind. But it made his decision for him, and he made for the smaller tunnel.  
  
Apparently he'd chosen correctly, because soon they could hear the mechadragon in the darkness, the shifting scrape of metal against stone, smell the acrid stench of burning oil and ozone.  
  
And somehow, Spider knew that it had already detected them, was waiting for them.  
  
They rounded a corner, and the mechaniloid rose to greet them with a steam engine hiss, its own biolights filling the cavern with flickering blue-green light that threw disorienting shadows.  
  
 _"...how can you be sure?"_  
  
 _"Because it still has your throwing card stuck in its armor."_  
  
Spider's eyes followed the beast's head as it slewed around to take in all three of the intruders, his gaze locked on the card stuck deeply in the thick armor plating between the beast's eyes. He couldn't see its face, but he knew which card it was- the Five of Spades.  
  
The bounty hunter was determined to make up for the hollow victory of his last battle with this beast, and get some closure for Aile's memory, since he'd missed the chance at Epsilon.  
  
Electricity started crackling about the mechadragon's mouth, and the three friends braced themselves to move, readying their respective weapons.


	22. Disheveled

_"...oh bloody..._ no _! Dynamo! 'Roid down! Spider's down!"_  
  
_"What, where?!"_  
  
_"Thirty-five hundred yards south of my location! I...I think I shot him..."_  
  
_"Shit! How bad?"_  
  
_"I can't tell. I can't zoom in that far."_  
  
_"Fuck. On my way. Don't let the target get away."_  
  
**_BANG!_**  
  
_"The target has just been neutralized. I'm on my way as well."_  


* * *

Cedar frowned, eyes narrowed, completely engrossed in his task as he manipulated the microtools in the cramped space, vision zoomed in as much as possible to make the delicate work easier. Somewhere behind him, he could hear the buzzing sizzle of an arc welder on metal, but he paid it little mind. Not even the sudden sound of a hammer against metal made the sniper flinch.  
  
Abruptly the sniper's project twitched, and he quickly pulled the tools away, lest they scrape or damage something important.  
  
"Fuckin'... _ow_..."  
  
"Sorry," Cedar murmured, waiting for Spider to settle again before returning to his task of carefully picking bullet fragments from the bounty hunter's leg.  
  
"Ain't your fault, Ced," Spider murmured, grunting as the sniper finally pulled the last and largest fragment free. "I shouldn'ta crossed your line of fire."  
  
"You're lucky Cedar forgot to factor in Kentucky windage and bullet drop with his first shot," Dynamo piped up from behind Cedar. "Otherwise, you'd have worse than a gimpy leg to worry about."  
  
Spider snorted, lifting his head from where he'd had his face buried in his arms, turning his head and pillowing it on his arms so he could watch the mercenary repair his armor. "Yeah, I ain't buyin' that," he murmured, mouth curving into a faint smile. "Not with the way Ced's always talkin' about bein' built for accuracy."  
  
All movement stopped, as both the mercenary and the sniper stared at him like he'd grown three heads and a tentacle or twenty.  
  
"Care to explain your logic, Spider-man?"  
  
"Don't call me that. And don't be a dumbass. Ced woulda hit exactly what he'd been aimin' for, if I hadn't gotten in the way. Just my bad luck I didn't hear his shot and ran right into the bullet's path."  
  
Cedar eyed the bounty hunter a moment, then shook his head and sat back. He'd leave the delicate inner repairs to Dynamo; Cedar had no skill with reconnecting finicky wiring and replacing capillary tubing, not while a 'roid was conscious, anyway.  
  
"...which life is he on now, Dynamo?"  
  
"Mm...his sixth one, I think."  
  
"Hey! I ain't a fuckin' cat, dammit!"


	23. Well-Shagged

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((This references chapter 20 of Signas and Spider.))

Dynamo leaned over to peer at the motionless bounty hunter on the bed. "...do you think he's dead?"  
  
Cedar snorted as he peered at the bounty hunter as well. "He's breathing, therefore he must still be alive."  
  
"But he's laying on his back. He _never_ does that!"  
  
"Clearly he didn't put himself to bed then."  
  
"...should we poke him?"  
  
"I think not. You know as well as I that he keeps a weapon under his pillow."  
  
"...I'm gonna poke him anyway."  
  
Cedar facepalmed, then took several large steps back as Dynamo started cautiously poking the bounty hunter.  
  
Both mercenaries stared when that didn't even garner so much as a _twitch_.  
  
They exchanged uncertain glances, and Cedar took a step forward as Dynamo's poking became prodding.  
  
Still no response.  
  
"...dude. I think he _is_ dead. Or something."  
  
Cedar frowned, watching as Dynamo crouched by the side of the bed, reaching toward the bounty hunter's face. "I don't think you should be doi-"  
  
There was a blur of movement, and Dynamo jerked back with a yelp. "Fuck _ **ow**_ , he _bit_ me!"  
  
"What you get for disturbin' the dead," Spider mumbled, opening one eye to glare at him.  
  
Cedar quickly covered his mouth, unsuccessfully stifling a snort. That earned him a huff from Dynamo, the other mercenary cradling his 'injured' hand with a pout.  
  
The sniper's amusement faded when Spider stretched with a pained groan. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Oh yeah," the bounty hunter grunted with a smug smirk, settling his hands behind his head. "Just had the best night of my life last night~"  
  
Abruptly Dynamo was leaning in, bracing one hand on the bed, using the other to prod Spider into tilting his head. The bounty hunter didn't protest the movement, smirk stretching into a smug grin as the mercenary examined the bruise he'd just noticed on Spider's neck.  
  
"...Spider? Why do you have fang marks on your neck?"  
  
"He has _what_?" Cedar demanded, striding forward to see for himself.  
  
The bounty hunter just chuckled. "Why do you _think_ ~?"  
  
"...holy shit. With _Zero_?!"  
  
"And Sig~"  
  
" _And_ Signas?! Bloody hell, Spider! What's gotten into you?!"  
  
Spider turned his head to give Cedar an incredulous stare, then he tilted his head back as he burst out laughing.  
  
Cedar blinked, glancing at Dynamo when the other mercenary made an odd snorking sound before flumping on the side of the bed to start laughing as well. Then realization dawned as to what he'd just said, and the sniper groaned, covering his face with both hands as he fought a blush for having given them such a line, even if neither of them had made the obvious joke.  
  
"So!" Dynamo chortled once he'd calmed down enough to speak, turning to Spider with a grin. "Details, man! You can't tease us like that and not share!"  
  
Spider looked from one 'roid to the other, seeing their obvious curiosity (though Cedar was clearly trying to hide his), and his mouth slowly stretched into a sly grin that exposed his fangs.  
  
"How 'bout I show you instead?"


	24. Exploring

When Dynamo had suggested that he and Cedar go explore the rest of Gigantis while Spider was busy, Cedar hadn't expected that he'd end up getting dragged _everywhere_ , from the smelting factory to the mine.  
  
At least Dynamo had sense enough not to go to that blasted malfunctioning environmental dome.  
  
Though clearly Cedar didn't have enough sense not to follow the other mercenary, which was why they both were crawling through Gimialla mine.  
  
The sniper's irritation at the whole thing would have been more acute, if he hadn't realized Dynamo was searching for something. For what, he hadn't the slightest clue; Dynamo had been evasive each time he'd asked.  
  
As they trekked deeper into the mine, Cedar looked around with a frown, trying to figure out what it could be. But there were no clues that he could see.  
  
So focused was he on trying to work out the puzzle, he didn't notice when Dynamo stopped so abruptly he ran into the taller Reploid's back with a grunt.  
  
Making an irritated noise, he stepped aside to shoot the taller Reploid a glare, opening his mouth to demand an explanation.  
  
But a look at Dynamo's expression made him pause. Then he turned to see what had the other mercenary's attention, and his irritation evaporated.  
  
There was nothing overly remarkable about the empty room. A battle had clearly been fought here- scorch marks covered various surfaces, the metal panels lining the walls and floor were buckled in places, and the enormous computer on one wall was destroyed.  
  
And yet, there was a feeling about the room that told the sniper everything he needed to solve the mystery of Dynamo's actions.  
  
"...this is where it happened, isn't it," Cedar murmured, not daring to step over the threshold.  
  
"Yeah," Dynamo replied just as quietly, an odd note in his voice.  
  
"...has Spider been back since then?"  
  
"Once. But not willingly."  
  
The sniper looked around the room, taking in the details, and was silently grateful it _was_ empty. He wasn't sure what he would have done if there had been...anything left behind.  
  
As if sensing his thoughts, Dynamo spoke. "Crystal Horn had Tol and Smol clear out the room when the Troubleshooters returned to Gigantis after the Rebellion thing."  
  
"That can't have been easy," the sniper murmured.  
  
The other mercenary made a quiet sound of agreement, gaze drifting around the room. He took a slow breath and released it, closing his eyes a moment, then looked over when Cedar touched his hand.  
  
"Shall we go back and find him? I'm certain he could use a break by now."  
  
Slowly Dynamo smiled, clearly following the sniper's line of thought. "Yeah, he needs a break whether he needs one or not."  
  
Reaching for his hand, the sniper cast one last look at the room, before turning to lead the way back to the mine's entrance and the teleport hub.


	25. Exhausted

Dynamo sagged against a wall, head thunking back against it, and he sighed heavily, closing his eyes. He was sorely tempted to slide down the wall to the floor, to fall asleep right where he was. But he couldn't afford to. Not here. And not without finding Spider and Cedar.  
  
No one had ever said building a city was easy; Dynamo certainly hadn't been under the illusion that it would be, and he knew neither Spider nor Cedar had been either. They'd all known it would take hard work and long hours. But it still dragged at all of them, and the mercenary decided it was time the three of them had a break.  
  
 _Away_ from Gigantis, for a while.  
  
Reluctantly pushing off the wall, he stumbled down the hall, following the smell of coffee. Odds were one or the other would be in the Troubleshooters' lounge, which would make the mercenary's task easier.  
  
And there was Cedar now. Dynamo smiled when he saw the sniper coming from the other direction toward the lounge, looking as bad as Dynamo felt.  
  
Neither spoke as they reached the door at the same time, the sniper slumping against the taller mercenary's side with a groan, Dynamo's arm coming up to hook around his waist to support him.  
  
Peering through the door, Dynamo spotted Spider slumped over one of the tables, the bounty hunter not _quite_ drooling on the paperwork under his cheek.  
  
Exchanging a look with Cedar, Dynamo huffed a quiet chuckle when the sniper nodded. Leaving Cedar to slump against the door frame, the mercenary wove his shuffling way around the tables and chairs to reach Spider.  
  
The bounty hunter stirred at a touch to his shoulder, lifting his head to blink blearily at the taller Reploid who was smiling down at him. Huffing a quiet grunt of effort, he hefted himself to his feet, leaving the paperwork where it was, and he stumbled after Dynamo back to the door where Cedar was waiting.  
  
The three Reploids made their way slowly to the teleport hubs with the occasional stagger, either bumping into each other or into the walls, each fighting to keep his eyes open enough to see the way ahead of them.  
  
Dynamo almost slumped when he saw Bandit was manning the teleport hubs this shift.  
  
The other Reploid grinned ruefully at the sight of them, turning automatically to enter coordinates, then waved them toward the waiting hub.  
  
Dynamo led the way, reaching for Spider and Cedar to haul them up onto the hub, all three leaning against each other for support as the teleport took hold.


	26. Bath Time

It's a well-known fact that Reploids are, as a whole, a rather social race. Not like humans, with their tribe-based society, for all Reploids are the creations of humans. Reploid social structure is more akin to small cat colonies, or insect hives, and as such, their social bonds are different.  
  
Never is this difference in social bonds more obvious than when they bathe.  
  
Bathing is a communal affair, even for the most antisocial of Reploids. It's not inherently sexual, even for those Reploids who have biomorphics. It's a form of social grooming, of building and renewing the bonds between them. Generally when one Reploid heads to the bathing facilities, he's followed by one or two or more friends or colleagues, whereupon they can spend several hours or more helping each other bathe, working on hair or fur for those that have it, and drying each other off.  
  
A prime example is the Irregular Hunters- there are entire wings of communal bathing facilities located near the teleport hubs and medbay, filled with stall-less showers, and bathing pools large enough for even the largest Reploids. Officer and rookie alike will mingle between missions, socializing (very much aware that each time could be the last time they see each other) and assisting each other with bathing. (It's no mere rumor that it takes _at least_ two other Reploids to help wash Zero's impressive mane of hair.) And Lifesaver, for all his cantankerous personality and reputation, would never deny a patient access to the bathing facilities and related social opportunities without good reason.  


* * *

Such social bathing was the reason why, after a long day of hard work, Dynamo, Spider, and Cedar were crammed together in the bounty hunter's shower, the water as hot as the three could stand. It was a lazy affair, characterized by languid touches and sluggish scrubbing, largely due to exhaustion and frame-deep soreness.  
  
Spider was slouched on the built-in bench, eyes closed halfway against the water beating down from overhead, as he worked a washcloth over Cedar's lower back. The sniper, in turn, was working on Dynamo's hair, carefully rinsing the oil and grime from it while the taller mercenary sagged half-asleep against the wall.  
  
When Cedar nudged Dynamo's shoulder, all three Reploids shifted with assorted groans as reinforced musculature protested the day's abuse. Spider stood reluctantly, sidling over as Dynamo slid past him and Cedar to take the bounty hunter's place on the bench. Dynamo promptly sagged against the wall behind him, eyes closed, and appeared to have fallen asleep.  
  
The bounty hunter paused a moment, trying to rub the sore muscles of one shoulder, and huffed a tired breath of air.  
  
"Still sore?" Cedar murmured.  
  
"Yeah," Spider grunted. "Shouldn'ta tried to hold that damn thing by myself."  
  
Dynamo made a rude noise behind him, proving the mercenary was still awake. "You are _such_ a Light-bot."  
  
"So are you."  
  
"Hey, them's fightin' words!"  
  
The sniper chuckled, shaking his head. "Turn around, Spider."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I said, 'turn around'."  
  
The bounty hunter grunted and obeyed, then closed his eyes with a half-pleased, half-pained grunt as Cedar started massaging his shoulders. Then he felt Dynamo's hands on his sides, tugging him forward with Cedar following, until Spider settled onto the mercenary's lap. The bounty hunter promptly dropped his head onto the taller Reploid's shoulder, sighing softly as Dynamo's arms hooked loosely around his waist to hold him in place while the sniper continued working on his shoulders.  
  
Making a mental note to return the favor later, Spider felt his mind start drifting toward sleep as he enjoyed the physical contact with and comfort of his two closest friends.


	27. Bonus Scene - Parlay

Cedar wasn't certain how long he'd slept so deep he was just short of unconsciousness. His mind felt like a bubble, slowly rising toward the surface of wakefulness, and he relaxed and just enjoyed the process, hearing Dynamo's quiet snores somewhere close by, smelling the spicy scent that clung to Spider like a shadow.  
  
Slowly the sniper became aware that his face was buried in Spider's neck and shoulder, that Dynamo was on Spider's other side with one arm flung over both Spider and Cedar. He felt the blankets shift, then slowly get tugged further up from where it had ended up-  
  
...wait.  
  
Abruptly Cedar was aware of an alien presence at the edge of his EM field, and his eyes snapped open, locking on the Reploid standing beside the bed.  
  
The Reploid blinked on meeting Cedar's gaze, then he smiled and lifted a finger to his lips, finishing tugging the blankets up with the other hand and tucking it around Dynamo's shoulders.  
  
Cedar could only stare, alarm freezing his joints, as he took in the unmistakable duty uniform of an Irregular Hunter, the gold cording on the uniform and ranking pins on the badge leaving no illusions about the Reploid's identity.  
  
This was Signas, the Hunters' High Commander.  
  
Oh _shit_ , Cedar was screwed. There was no possible way he could escape with a Hunter this close.  
  
"Do you take coffee or tea?" Signas murmured.  
  
...what?  
  
The sniper's mind blanked at the question, and he blinked once before he found his mouth answering for him. "Tea."  
  
The Hunter nodded and rounded the foot of the bed, heading from the bedroom.  
  
Cedar blinked once again, trying to process what had just happened. He glanced at Spider, hesitating, then carefully disentangled himself from the knot of arms and legs. Sliding from the bed, he paused, then tugged the blanket up around Spider's shoulders, watching the bounty hunter nuzzle further into the pillow with a sleepy hum, Dynamo's arm tightening briefly around the younger Reploid.  
  
The sniper smiled fondly at the sight, before heading to the enormous closet to dig in its depths for the extra clothing he knew Spider had for him. Getting dressed, he glanced out the panoramic window, the early morning mist lending to the surreality of what had just happened with Signas.  
  
He had a feeling it was going to get even more surreal, as he caught the scent of coffee mixed with the scent of his favorite tea.  
  
Not wishing to delay and appear cowardly, Cedar made his way from the bedroom to the great room.  
  
Rounding the wall that separated the bedroom from the kitchen, Cedar paused when he spied Signas by the counter where the coffeemaker resided. The Hunter's back was toward him, and Cedar took a moment to study him.  
  
The sniper had seen Signas on television, appearing immense and implacable in his heavy combat armor. Cedar had never been able to reconcile that image with the Reploid Spider frequently spoke so warmly of. But seeing him now...Signas didn't appear so imposing. Not with the way he was having a muttered argument with the coffeemaker every time it beeped rudely at him.  
  
Cedar was wary just the same, however. Appearances could be deceiving; the sniper knew that from personal experience.  
  
Signas turned when Cedar cleared his throat, offering a smile. "Do you take it black, or with anything?"  
  
"Black, please," the sniper replied, watching him with a carefully controlled expression.  
  
As civil as Signas was acting, Cedar couldn't forget for an instant that Signas was a Hunter and he himself was an Irregular.  
  
He watched Signas finish brewing the tea, then snorted when he saw the Hunter spooning indecent amounts of sugar into his own coffee. _Just like Dynamo_...  
  
Then Signas was heading toward the table, offering the cup of tea on the way. The sniper accepted it, following him cautiously and taking a seat.  
  
The Hunter seemed unaware of Cedar's caution, sipping his coffee a moment before speaking. "I suppose introductions are unnecessary."  
  
"Indeed," Cedar murmured, keeping a wary eye on the Hunter as he sipped his tea. "I believe we both know each other's identities."  
  
Signas nodded, mouth curving in a barely visible smile for the barest instant before it was gone. "How goes the rebuilding in Gigantis?"  
  
Cedar frowned faintly behind his cup, then decided the subject was innocuous enough he could answer safely. "It's going well enough, I suppose. The marketplace and shipping areas are nearly finished enough to open. Though, I never realized how badly Spider overworks himself until I saw it firsthand. Even with Dynamo and myself taking on as much as we can to relieve his workload, he still somehow manages..."  
  
"It's the only way he knows," the Hunter murmured. Then he added in a mutter, "You can thank Blues for that."  
  
Cedar made a noncommittal sound. "While we are on the subject of him, I assume he speaks of us to you nearly as much as he speaks of you to us." He was curious, and quite wary of what the bounty hunter might have said, particularly about himself.  
  
"You assume correctly," Signas chuckled. "He speaks of the two of you quite frequently. You more than Dynamo. He's quite proud of your skills as a marksman and a sniper, and he was rather eager to show off the new scar he acquired from you."  
  
The sniper blinked, feeling his face heating up in a blush. Spider was proud of _his_ skills? _And_ of that horribly embarrassing fiasco? "...sometimes I wonder if he isn't crazier than Dynamo."  
  
Signas laughed, head rocking back and eyes closing nearly to slits. "Well, they _are_ Wily-bots. That side of the family was always more than a little cracked." Then he smiled slyly, eyes on the sniper as he lifted his mug for a drink. "Still...I have to agree with his assessment that your skills are rather exemplary."  
  
Cedar paused, his own cup halfway to his mouth, and stared at the Hunter. "You know of my skills?" he asked, frame going tense as alarm wove through his systems.  
  
The Hunter chuckled low, keeping his gaze locked on Cedar's. "I've seen your work. You certainly do give your clients what they pay for."  
  
Cedar continued staring, slowly lowering his cup to the table. " _You_ -"  
  
Instantly Signas had a finger raised to silence him. "Not another word," he said sharply. Then, voice calmer, he continued, finally breaking eye contact. "Never admit to anything, and plausible deniability works in your favor."  
  
The sniper's mouth snapped shut on what he'd about to say, eyes wide as he stared at Signas, that feeling of surreality creeping in again. "What...does that mean?"  
  
The Hunter's eyes flicked up again to meet Cedar's stare, and his mouth curved in a shadow slinker's smile. "It means you have a 'capture, not kill bounty' due to having no _confirmed_ human kills."  
  
If Cedar hadn't already been sitting down, he was certain he'd be on the floor by now. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but was unable to get any words out at first. Finally he managed, "But my activities with Aluce-"  
  
Signas flicked his fingers dismissively, cutting him off. "Aluce's black market activities were well-known, but our hands were tied because he always got away with technicalities. There was never anything _technically_ illegal about what his organization did, because there weren't any laws against it. Efforts have been made to rectify that, but you know how governments are when it comes to changing laws."  
  
The sniper frowned, feeling unsettled. "That doesn't seem right, either way. As much as I want to change society, I don't want my crimes to be completely overlooked. If I am ever to face trial, I would want a fair punishment for my deeds, not merely destroyed because I am a Reploid who didn't obey his oppressors."  
  
"That's the thing, though. You _would_ be tried for them. However, it would be under the same laws that were used when Dynamo was tried for his part in the Fifth Uprising and Eurasia's crash. There was never any doubt of his involvement, and look how _that_ turned out."  
  
Cedar fell silent, frowning, as his gaze dropped to the table, Signas' words running through his mind. He...really wasn't sure what to think of it. It all seemed too much to take in, not with his initial assessment of the Hunter High Commander being, well...reassessed at the same time.  
  
"...this is a dangerous game you play, Signas. If the humans ever find out..."  
  
"That is what your services are for."  
  
"...then I am to be a pawn?"  
  
"An _asset_ ," Signas corrected with a smile. "If you have no objections?"  
  
Cedar's eyes narrowed, the irises whirring quietly as they spun. "And if I did?"  
  
The Hunter shrugged. "Then someone else will have to take on the task. Coercion makes for bad situations that tend to blow up in one's face. And rather spectacularly, too."  
  
Cedar's eyes narrowed further, and he opened his mouth to reply, only for Dynamo to stumble out of the bedroom. The sniper glanced at the mercenary briefly, before turning his attention back to Signas. "I'll think on it," he murmured.  
  
Signas nodded acceptance, then he dropped the serious mood in favor of chuckling at Dynamo when the mercenary flumped into one of the empty chairs at the table and promptly leaned against Cedar.  
  
"I want donuts," the mercenary mumbled around a yawn so wide it exposed the full length of his fangs.  
  
"You always want donuts," Hunter and sniper chorused, before sharing a grin with each other for the automatic retort.  
  
Signas only chuckled again and stood, going to prepare a cup of coffee for Dynamo and returning with a box of donuts as well, which the mercenary immediately dug into. He didn't sit down, however, disappearing into the pantry long enough to retrieve a small E-tank.  
  
Cedar watched the Hunter prepare another cup of coffee, mixing the contents of the E-tank into it, and he smiled faintly. There was no question in the sniper's mind who it was for, and he glanced over as Spider shuffled from the bedroom.  
  
The bounty hunter paused to peer blearily at Cedar and Dynamo a moment, then his head swiveled around so he could peer at Signas over by the coffeemaker, and he blinked slowly. Then, puzzled gaze returning to Cedar, he grunted a confused, unintelligible question.  
  
The sniper chuckled. "Come sit down before you fall down, Spider."  
  
The bounty hunter made another confused grunt, then shuffled over to drop in the remaining chair. And when Signas returned to place the mixed coffee in front of him, Spider promptly leaned against the Hunter, immediately starting on the coffee.  
  
Cedar smiled at the similarities of the brothers, and lifted his gaze to meet Signas' amused one as Dynamo started playfully trying to force a donut on Spider, the bounty hunter whining complaints about them being gross.  
  
It would be interesting to see how this parlay worked out down the road.


	28. Playing with Children

"You want us to do _what_?"  
  
Spider grinned at Cedar's incredulous tone as the sniper stared at him. "Join the Troubleshooters in one of their wargames," he repeated. He already knew he'd have no trouble convincing Dynamo, and so was focusing on the sniper. "It's a tradition. Think of it as a bondin' exercise. It'll help the Troubleshooters accept you and D as part of the new command structure."  
  
Cedar frowned a moment, before sighing softly, clearly able to see the logic of it. "Very well."  
  
The bounty hunter smirked and ruffled the sniper's long hair, snickering at the irritated sound that garnered. "Great! Meet up with the others by the armory in half an hour."  


* * *

Spider crouched on one knee behind a corner, Cedar and Dynamo at his shoulder, as he listened to the sharp bangs of party mixers exploding and angry cursing down various hallways. He mentally ran over his inventory, mouth twisting when he realized he was low on his allotment. Only two party mixers and three Fuck You Fridays left.  
  
Turning his head, but keeping his eyes on the hallway, he murmured to the others, "How're you two fixed for supplies?"  
  
"I've got four Fuck You Fridays left," Dynamo murmured back. "Ced's got three. And we're out of party mixers."  
  
Spider frowned, as he calculated, then cursed under his breath. It wasn't enough. There were too many of the other Troubleshooters still free, even if the trio could lure them into a trap. And the Troubleshooters were too smart for traps; Spider had made sure of _that_ in the early days.  
  
Shit, this might be the first time Spider lost at the wargames.  
  
"Perhaps I can be of assistance?"  
  
Spider jumped at the unexpected voice, all three 'roids turning to gape at the Reploid smirking at them.  
  
" _Aile?!_ "  
  
The salmon and white Reploid chuckled as he met Spider's gaze, tapping the crystal on the left side of his chest, and Spider _knew_.  
  
Blues' visit to Gigantis a while back hadn't been to see how things were coming along, or for a tour, as he'd claimed. It had been to retrieve Aile's ID crystal.  
  
Slowly the bounty hunter grinned as a plan started forming. "How you feel about playin' ghost, Spook?"  
  
Quickly he outlined his plan. By the time he was done, the other three were grinning as well, and they separated to put it into action.  
  
The others wouldn't know what hit them~


	29. At the Beach

"Chaaaaarge! Last one in's a rotten egg!"  
  
"Fuck your long legs, you fuckin' beanpole!"  
  
Cedar chuckled and shook his head as he watched Dynamo and Spider race each other into the waves, then he moved to collect the clothing they'd flung everywhere while stripping to their swim trunks. Ignoring their shouts and laughter as they chased each other back and forth through the water, the sniper made sure the various articles of clothing was free of sand, before neatly folding them and placing them on the blankets.  
  
Then he turned toward the water, crossing his arms, and watched the pair with a smirk.  
  
They'd given up on chasing each other- rather, _Spider_ had given up. The bounty hunter was now wading through knee-deep water, peering at the sandy bottom. Dynamo, in contrast, was still running around like the Energizer Rabbit on crack, only now he was chasing a crab, pouncing through the water in his efforts to catch it.  
  
Cedar couldn't see any good coming of _that_ , and he was staying well away until after the inevitable happened.  
  
His attention kept drifting back to Spider, and finally the sniper turned his full attention on him.  
  
This trip had been Spider's idea, surprising both Dynamo and Cedar. It felt like it had been an eternity since they'd gotten up to any of their usual shenanigans, and even longer since the bounty hunter had been the one to suggest anything.  
  
Far too long, really. It was good to see Spider starting to act like himself again.  
  
Dynamo's pained howl shattered the air, jerking Cedar's attention toward him. The sniper snorted when he saw the crab had caught _Dynamo_ , dangling from the mercenary's nose by one claw while the mercenary ran in flailing circles, while Spider pointed and laughed at the taller Reploid.  
  
Yes, things were nearly back to as they had been before the Rebellion. Pity it had taken Cedar so long to realize Spider's change hadn't been because of his own death during all that, but because of _Aile's_. The increased irritation, the violent outbursts at any provocation regarding Blues, the working himself into near-comas...all of it signs of a young Reploid not knowing how to handle his own grief.  
  
True, Spider had significantly improved since his partner's return. But it would be a long while yet before the bounty hunter had completely recovered.  
  
Still, a start had been made, and Cedar smiled as he watched the brothers kicking water at each other.  
  
...wait. They'd stopped, and were now staring at him.  
  
The sniper stiffened as the two Reploids exchanged a look, then he whirled and bolted, feet slipping and spraying sand in his scramble to escape as they gave chase.  
  
 _"No, don't you dare! Unhand me, blast it, I am_ not _going in the- no, wait, not with my coat on!"_  
  
Dynamo and Spider's laughter rose above Cedar's gurgling squawk.


End file.
